As a child our parents would reach to the countertop to get the things we could not reach. As God’s children He will reach for us the things we cannot reach. There are things in life that are easy to attain such as preparing a meal or calling a friend but what about...
It is shocking and disgraceful to learn someone is plotting our demise. Whether we overhear someone talking behind our back or someone tells us what is being planned, the shock is still the same. Many times we do not find out until we are served with a consequence...
We praise God. We give thanks to Him. He is the Creator; the beginning and the end and everything in between. He never changes and for that reason we can count on Him. His answers will always be the same according to scripture. Imagine receiving honor back from...
Everyone wants to be in first place. In a band it’s first chair. In a race it’s first place. In a championship game it’s the gold trophy. It’s easy to walk away pumped up after earning these status recognitions but what about second place. People who win second...
There are times things work out exactly like we want. We are excited and happy for a while but then it’s back to business as usual. Other times things work out totally opposite the way we want and our neighbor is excited and happy for a while. Once the excitement...
Sometimes we walk through seasons in life where nothing fits. Everything falls apart. We make our plans and something comes up to distract us or destroy everything we work toward. Our friends who are always pleasant toward us act harshly. We have not said nor done...
Here is a perfect illustration of how force can do totally the opposite of what is intended. This example is borrowed from an article written many years ago. A man has on a thick coat. The harder the wind blew the tighter he placed his arms in front of himself...
There are things going on behind our backs that can destroy us if we aren’t careful. That’s why it’s important to remain obedient to Christ Who will protect us in all things. We have friends who stick closer than a brother but we also have many acquaintances who...
There are times we are faced with decisions to make and the rewards and consequences are the same either way we choose. We are offered a job at two separate companies or we are accepted at two elite colleges. Sometimes two people approach us to complain about the...
There are times we are faced with decisions to make and the rewards and consequences are the same either way we choose. We are offered a job at two separate companies or we are accepted at two elite colleges. Sometimes two people approach us to complain about the...
Many refer to a pet dog as man’s best friend. A new puppy takes a lot of harsh disciplining and the puppy may sulk for a while but when the master motions with a kind gesture he is quick to wag his tail and trust again. This type of discipline is needed for a puppy...
Election times come and go but the people in office are ones elected in good faith that they will serve well for the allotted time. Campaign promises can sometimes be empty and the people are left blindsided by unexpected consequences. It’s important to remember that...
We keep getting rejected. All rules are followed and all advice is taken yet the answer is still the same. We are told not to give up and to keep on trying. Our efforts are noticed and appreciated but still the answer is no. How do we not take it personally when...
Many of us have made plans for a future. Whether it be for a certain vocation or a particular organization, we have a sincere desire to be involved. We polish our skills and follow through on all the fine details required but the answer is always the same. We are...
It’s easy to point fingers at others who do not see things the way we see them. While God created all people in His image He created each person as a masterpiece. Each person is unique and special. Each person is designed with a specific purpose that fit’s God’s...
We give praise and thanksgiving to God when the doctor approaches us after a lengthy operation on a loved one to tell us things are a success. We give praise and thanksgiving to God when we see rescuers pull miners from a cave in and all people are in good condition....
We wear a spiritual wardrobe that includes a smile and an attitude of love. This is especially true when we enter a house of worship. Our words are kind and our spirit is one of helpfulness toward one another. We display our spiritual wardrobe with much effort...
Have you ever wondered if your efforts have been wasted? You work long hours while others leave early or on time. You make sure all tasks are finished each day per the instructions of the boss. You are never thanked. In fact you feel taken for granted but you know...
Many of us look for a particular job that fits our skills. God gifted us to beautifully perform particular tasks and we apply for numerous jobs that we feel are a perfect fit for us. Somehow we are not the one selected to do the job. We watch while others seem to...
Have you ever experienced a season in life where things go from bad to worse? Not only do you get disappointing news but somehow you suddenly get plagued with various hardships of your own. Not long after all this you get a double portion of all the above. You watch...
There are times we are in a situation for so long that we don’t know what to do apart from that situation. Day after day, month after month, year after year we suffer under the hand of a cruel boss or a friend who continues to let us down. We become used to that...
God has made each of us in His image and for His purpose. All people and talents are needed in order to complete His big picture. Therefore we are to joyfully do what He has called us to do. We may not be the head of a large corporation but we pray for those who...
Doing the right thing is as easy as taking the initiative to act. God never requires of us anything that He does not first equip us to do. He speaks to us with a gentle tugging in our heart. The simplicity of picking up the phone to speak to an elderly person or to...
Guilt is like a weight that holds us back in life. In order to deal with these feelings many times we will keep busy or play a radio. We want this feeling to go away because it effects everything we do. All we can think about is the discomfort it causes and we want...
Our heart’s desires are important to us and it’s hard sometimes to wait while God works things out. We become glued to a situation, material thing or even a person and our thought pattern soon evolves into ways to manipulate things the way we want them. ...
There are times in life when things move. These are times when we continue to learn new things. We get promotions on the job and new things are opening up for us. Suddenly things stop coming our way and we are left wondering why we are not moving ahead. The truth...
The Bible often makes references to dust and soil. Adam was formed from dust. Jesus said one day our bodies will return to the dust. One of Jesus’ finest parables speaks of seeds that fall on different types of soil. It makes sense to think of ourselves as an area...
The truth isn’t always popular but it brings security. When the truth is told we know exactly where we stand and we have a strong platform where we can build. It’s better to know what is really ahead of us than to think something is greater than what is really...
There are times when everything goes like clockwork. Our routine becomes so ordinary we rarely think about what comes next in our day. We can count on our job, our church and our circumstances then without notice something comes along to create an uncertainty. It...
There are times when our routine seems to be bringing us into a rut. We rise at the same time each morning, cook, prepare, work, relax then it’s evening again. Nothing is exciting because it’s the same thing day after day. If each day has blissful moments that are...
It’s difficult at times not to judge. A person continually manipulates around and we get tripped up by them every time. We get cheated out of opportunities while they triumph over us looking behind only long enough to give us an innocent smile. It makes us want to...
Has it ever been that you wanted something very badly and you pray and pray for an obstacle to move and it does not? You try every technique you know and nothing works to unlock that door. You approach all the right people and you do all the right things and still...
There are situations that come up in life that worry us into a frenzy. We cannot think of anything else but the circumstances. Hours are spent trying to figure a way out or around the aftermath of destruction at our feet. Even in prayer we are wringing our hands,...
Forgiveness toward one another is a requirement of God. We are to forgive a person as many times as is required in order to keep our peace with God. However it is not required that we continue to try to make friends with certain people or continue to try to please...
There are lessons to be learned from the church organ. One of the main points to the organ is that it has only one player yet many keys. Each key has its own unique sound that can be enhanced according to the organist’s preferences. While he can make some keys...
There are people who come into large sums of money left to them by relatives who have passed on. Sometimes these inheritances come from distant relatives unknown to them. We often wonder how it is that some people can come into such a great gain. However money...